National Engagement
Children Matter East engages with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) via the Children and Learners Division of the Government Office for the East of England (Go East). The stated mission of DCSF is to make England the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up. Specifically it aims to:
Make children and young people happy and healthy.
Keep them safe and sound.
Give them a top class education.
Help them stay on track.
In support of this, the DCSF has a national Children's Plan which sets out how it will work with others to achieve its ambitions. The Department also has a national policy document on engagement with the third sector (which was produced by the DfES just before it became DCSF) - see Third Sector Action Plan. On occasion, other Government Departments produce a policy that is appropriate for the Children and Young People's Voluntary and Community Sector. see the DCMS Third Sector Strategy.
Children Matter East's primary national partners are:
Children England - the leading membership organisation for the children, young people and families VCS. Its specific mission is ‘to create a fairer world for children, young people and families by championing the voluntary organisations which work on their behalf.' It achieves this by promoting good practice, providing a range of practical resources for its members, stimulating policy debate and lobbying and influencing statutory bodies and decision-makers (www.childrenengland.org.uk).
National Council for Voluntary Youth Services - a diverse and growing network of over 170 national organisations and regional and local networks that work with and for young people. Its mission is to ensure the development and recognition of a vibrant, sound and diverse VCS that involves, empowers and meets the needs of all young people. It does this by providing support and guidance in areas such as safeguarding, workforce development, diversity and influencing policy (www.ncvys.org.uk).
Both organisations have mission statements and strategic objectives for encouraging the participation, networking and engagement of VCS organisations at national and regional level in policy formulation and decision-making on services to children, young people and their families.
